Starting on Tuesday, June 28 with a “season opener” of the film Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story, the Falmouth Jewish Congregation will host its annual Summer Series on Tuesday evenings in June, July, and August. Members of the community of all ages and faith backgrounds are welcome. All events begin at 7:30 PM, with doors opening at 7:00 P.M. and tickets available at the door only. Refreshments are served free of charge. The season “opener” on June 28 is preceded by an Open House at 6:30 P.M. for those who wish to learn more about the congregation, meet its staff and leaders, and tour its facilities.
Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story explores the connection between Jewish Americans and baseball, our nation’s most iconic institution. More than a film about sports, it is a story of immigration, assimilation, bigotry, heroism, the passing on of traditions, and the shattering of stereotypes. Dustin Hoffman narrates this engaging story of great drama, unforgettable games, and the broad sweep of American history.
“You should be an attorney or a doctor, but not a ballplayer,” one former major leaguer remembers, describing the prejudices that he and other Jewish athletes faced. But despite the stereotypes, and in the face of hostility from fans and even violence from opposing players, there have been standout Jewish players in every decade from the 1860s to the present. This is the first major documentary to tell their stories.
Interviews include fans, writers, executives, and especially players – including Al Rosen, Kevin Youkilis, Shawn Green, Norm Sherry, Ron Blomberg, Bob Feller, Yogi Berra, and a rare interview with the legendary Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax. Fans Ron Howard and Larry King speak of the meaning of Jewish ballplayers in their own lives, while historians and even two baseball-loving rabbis relate the stories of Jewish players to the turbulent history of the last century. These powerful personal and historical stories are interwoven with rare archival footage and photos and a musical score ranging from Benny Goodman to Yo-Yo Ma to Rush. This entertaining and educational film is an appropriate choice for all ages. It is distributed by Seventh Art Releasing.
The 2010 film My So-Called Enemy is featured on Tuesday, July 5. This multiple award-winning documentary (including Audience Award, Best Feature Documentary Film at the Boston Jewish Film Festival, 2011) from director Lisa Gossels (The Children of Chabannes) tells the story of Israeli and Palestinian girls who traveled to the United States in a women’s leadership program called Bridges for Peace. It is about the power of individual narratives to open hearts and minds, challenge long-held preconceptions, and create a space for dialogue. Tickets are $8 for members and $10 for non-members.
On July 12 the Falmouth Jewish Congregation joins with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth in welcoming speaker Stephen Prothero of Boston University. Prothero, whom Lisa Miller of Newsweek described as “a world-religions scholar with the soul of a late-night television comic,” will speak on “Taking Difference Seriously: God is Not One.” Prothero is the author of the New York Times bestseller Religious Literacy: What Americans Need to Know (2007) and, recently, God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World – and Why Their Differences Matter (2010). This talk is free of charge, but donations (suggested donation of $5) are accepted.
As in past years, the 2011 Summer Series includes a screening of a popular contemporary Israeli hit film. This year’s July 19 program is a screening of the 2010 Israeli feature film The Matchmaker. Nominated for seven Ophir Awards (Israel’s Academy Awards), including Best Picture, The Matchmaker is the creation of Avi Nesher, one of Israel’s leading and prolific directors. This official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival 2011 is set in the summer of 1968 in Haifa, soon after the Six-Day War, and features a Romanian Holocaust survivor matchmaker and his 16 year-old protégé, plus a cast of quirky characters. Nesher adapted this story of a young man and young nation coming of age from the novel When Heroes Fly by writer Amir Gutfreund. Tickets are $10 for non-members.
Latin American scholar and Falmouth resident Joseph Tulchin will present a talk on July 26. “An Insider’s Look at Security and Inequality in Latin America” will focus on Tulchin’s areas of expertise gained from years of scholarship and work with the governments of Latin America, as well as from his experience as director of a public policy research program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Tulchin will also comment on the current state of Jewish life in the southern hemisphere. This talk is free of charge, although donations will be accepted (suggested donation of $5).
After a three-week hiatus, the Summer Series concludes in August with two film screenings. On August 23 the film Precious Life comes to Falmouth. The work of a prominent Israeli journalist turned filmmaker, this documentary chronicles the struggle of an Israeli pediatrician and a Palestinian mother to get treatment for her baby, who suffers from an incurable genetic disease. Each must face his or her own profound biases as they inch toward a possible friendship in an impossible reality. Tickets are $10 for non-members.
The series closes on August 30 with The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground, which follows the klezmer revival stars The Klezmatics from the recording studio to the world stage, from their individual journeys as musicians to their collective decision-making process. Director Erik Greenberg Anjou captures the colorful personalities and creative process behind the fusion band that has redefined contemporary Jewish music and identity. Tickets are $10 for non-members.
Look for more extensive weekly announcements about Summer Series events throughout the summer. For details and further information visit the Falmouth Jewish Congregation website at www.falmouthjewish.org or call 508-540-0602. The Falmouth Jewish Congregation is located at 7 Hatchville Road in East Falmouth and is accessible to individuals with disabilities.